If you've ever watched Dancing with the Stars on television, you've no doubt noticed the vivacious and talented Cheryl Burke, whose ballroom dance moves are as captivating as her bright smile. In fact, Cheryl considers her smile to be one of her most important assets as a professional dancer.

“As a performer, you're basically smiling the whole time,” Cheryl told Dear Doctor magazine recently in an exclusive interview. “It's just really important to take care of your teeth and have a great smile.”

Cheryl is very conscientious about caring for her smile, but that wasn't always the case. In the Dear Doctor interview, Cheryl revealed that her teeth suffered from ineffective oral hygiene when she was younger. “I definitely had my share of cavities,” Cheryl recalled, adding that she believed this was her own fault. “I didn't use floss,” She explained. “I think when you do floss frequently, it helps to reduce the chances of getting cavities. It took me a while to figure it out.”

Once Cheryl did figure it out, she was able to make cavities a thing of the past. But in order to make sure the effects of her prior tooth decay did not mar her lovely smile, she made sure her dentist — who is also her stepdad! — gave her tooth-colored fillings that could not be distinguished from the surface of a natural tooth. “It's important for me,” Cheryl said.

Lots of dental patients feel the same way, even if they don't spend time in front of television cameras. That's why the dental profession has developed tooth-like materials such as composite resins and porcelains that mimic natural tooth material exactly. These materials are also suitable for children's teeth and can incorporate fluoride to reduce tooth decay. It's even possible to replace old silver-colored fillings with these newer dental materials.